“Do you think taxpayers should be footing the bill or should the governor’s 501(c)3 be footing the bill for anything political.” Gottlieb responded, “The governor is the governor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.” Gottlieb said that level of security is no different from what previous governors enjoyed.

Governor Scott Walker is a likely presidential candidate, and Erpenbach wanted to know what percentage of the Dignitary Protection Unit’s $1.75 million budget is spent on Walker’s out-of-state trips.

Erpenbach also grilled the secretary on the $4 an hour raise for that security detail. Gottlieb defended the raise. “That $4 an hour I think does represent a recognition by us that this is a very unique duty assignment. It involves a lot of travel; it involves a lot of hours being worked.” Gottlieb said many of those hours were uncompensated. And, he said, that increase also included the elimination of overtime pay.

AUDIO: Erpenbach says taxpayers should not have to foot the bill when the governor speaks to national conservatives. :24